Environmental and Energy Safety Leader Expands Grassroots Transformation Across Nigerian Communities

Fadekemi Ajakaiye

Across urban centres and peri-urban settlements in Nigeria, rising industrial activity and weak enforcement of environmental standards continue to threaten public health and community development. Poor energy safety practices and environmental degradation have also placed pressure on livelihoods, creating the need for stronger accountability and grassroots-led solutions.

One of the leaders at the forefront of addressing these challenges is Dr. Kayode Lanre Bello, an environmental and energy safety consultant with more than 18 years of cross-sector experience. His work, which bridges global best practices with local realities, has been recognised both within the corporate boardroom and at the community level.

Dr. Bello’s career spans oil and gas operations, environmental compliance audits, sustainability-focused project management, and advisory services on energy transition. His approach has been to ensure that safety culture is not just a policy on paper but a lifestyle that reaches households and small businesses.
A central part of his community impact has been the Field Leadership Advancement Program, popularly called FLAP. Operating across several local government areas, the programme has engaged thousands of residents, small businesses, women’s groups and youth associations. More than 2,600 people have been trained on household safety, workplace hazard control, sustainable energy adoption and pollution prevention. Twenty-one women-led technical microenterprises have also been launched through FLAP, ranging from clean energy services to safe LPG handling and eco-friendly construction.

Speaking on the impact of this work, Dr. Bello said, “Technical knowledge alone doesn’t change communities. But when you combine it with empowerment, trust and capacity building, the change becomes permanent.”

Beyond FLAP, Dr. Bello has spearheaded other initiatives, including large-scale environmental awareness campaigns, operational safety accelerators for small and medium enterprises, and youth mentorship programmes aimed at nurturing the next generation of health, safety and environment professionals. His advisory work with energy boards and national oil companies has supported policy alignment with Nigeria’s net-zero targets and promoted the adoption of cleaner energy systems.

Communities where these programmes have been rolled out have reported fewer workplace accidents, cleaner public spaces, and improved compliance among businesses. Independent evaluations have also linked the projects to economic empowerment, particularly for women and youth who are building enterprises around sustainable practices.

For Dr. Bello, the journey has been about linking technical expertise with grassroots realities. “Safety and sustainability are not abstract ideas. They affect how people cook in their homes, how small businesses handle equipment, and how industries treat their waste. The more inclusive we make the solutions, the more lasting the results,” he explained.

With multiple awards from civic and professional bodies already to his name, Dr. Bello is now working with partners to scale his interventions into a coordinated nationwide programme. The goal is to embed sustainable energy use, environmental protection, and operational safety as central pillars of Nigeria’s development strategy.